City working up appetite for first food extravaganza
NATIONAL festivals supremo Phil Jones has been drafted in to run Sheffield's first food extravaganza, in a bid to put the city on the culinary map.
Jones, aged 53, is the man behind the UK's biggest annual celebration of food and drink, in Manchester. He has built it up over the last 12 years and also runs successful events in Greenwich, Richmond, Southport and Nottingham.
But Sheffield's scope eclipses all these, he says, adding: "This is our key event now.
"Rome wasn't built in a day and the truth is it's going to be hard work and a long-term project. But the potential to develop into something really big and on the national stage is superb."
The first Sheffield Food Festival is due to take place in June, giving a boost to both the local food industry and the local economy with a week-long celebration designed to attract thousands of extra visitors to the city.
Jones and his team have their work cut out, with barely four months to go. But they are confident the event will happen.
"The infrastructure we have here is easily enough to do a good festival but we're issuing a call for action to anybody who wants to get involved," he says.
"We're talking about creating a unique urban celebration of food for Sheffield, using Sheffield as its main ingredient. It will be something for everyone to enjoy – and participate in."
Details have yet to be worked out, with the ink not yet dry on the contract, but Jones believes in thinking big. And his record suggests he's a man of his word.
Born in Yorkshire, he began his career in the music industry, promoting artists including Curtis Mayfield, REM and The Pogues. In the eighties he organised the legendary Alexandra Palace and Spike Island gigs for the Stone Roses.
After being headhunted by the Greenwich Festival in 1984, he earned a name as a festival director and went on to found the Manchester Festival of Arts, which later spawned the city's hugely successful Food and Drink Festival.
But he sees such events as more than merely an excuse to party – and Sheffield will be no exception.
Yes, it's a celebration of local food and drink, a chance to showcase the city's producers, retailers and restaurateurs. Yes, it's an opportunity to boost the local economy with a focus on food tourism.
But it's also a perfect platform to spread the word about healthy eating and environmental responsibility and that's what drives Jones.
"It started when the official restaurant sponsor of the Euro '96 football championship was McDonalds! That really fired me up.
"This is a great way to tell as many people as possible what else is available; to raise awareness and try to build a health agenda. You can piggy-back anything on to a bit of a jubilee."
Not that he's a killjoy.
"I'm not saying don't eat cream cakes – it's a festival – and they don't have to be eating brown rice and nuts either. But people need to investigate the healthiest menu they can present. It's about that fine line."
The festival will serve as a springboard for Sheffield's new food plan, currently being drawn up as part of a joint project between the city council and Sheffield Primary Care Trust.
Local communities and individuals will be encouraged to plan their own events and Jones is keen to hear from anyone who wants to get involved.
He's also seeking sponsors for the showcase events – which are likely to include a Picnic in the Peace Gardens: "We haven't worked out the details yet but I'm aiming to do something quite spectacular, to give it some 'wow' factor."
Council leader Paul Scriven said: "It will hopefully become a much anticipated date in the city's calendar which is why we had to find the perfect fit with people who could develop it for us.
"The decision was a tough one as we had excellent organisations wanting to be part of it.
"Having a strong track record in running such a food festival, which had all the elements including healthy eating, is important and we look forward to the festival in the summer."
Anyone interested in getting involved is asked to email alison@foodanddrinkfestival.com.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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